Dusty interior

[bad luck]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find anything after doing a search.
We have been enjoying our van on some dusty roads, but the rear of the van lets in so much dust. I think the weatherstripping is the problem.
Does anyone know where I can get it replaced with new weatherstripping?
Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[BroncoHauler]

Some threads to read:

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ase-21112.html

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...dust-4656.html


Herb

[bad luck]

BroncoHauler,
That is exactly the information I was hoping to find.
Thanks for the links.

[stevecanyon]

The problem is, indeed, the door weather stripping. But, even with new seals you'll have dust leaking in. The real solution is to keep the cabin pressurized when you are pounding down those impossibly dusty road - like those in southern Utah; Close your windows and turn on your heat,ac, or just the fan. The higher the setting the better.

[arctictraveller]

I found that ton's of dust was getting in around the area where the hinges pass through the doors. I noticed this because after a trip to Baja, there was a little volcano shaped pile of dust on the cabinets directly across from the hinges. I sealed them up with silicone and reduced the amount of dust entering by over 50% or more. I also discovered that unless I forcefully closed the doors by pushing at the top, they would not latch tightly. It's the same for both the side and rear doors, and easy to check. Once the first door is closed, grab it at the top and see how much play there is. It's a big difference with mine if I don't forcefully push them closed at the top. Those two tricks almost totally eliminated the dust entering from the back. Lastly, I cut a piece of furnace filter to fit into my Fantastic fan housing. I run the fan so it's pushing filtered air in which puts a little positive pressure on the interior. The amount of dust that collects on the filter material is amazing. When I removed it, it rained dust, so next time I plan to spray a little filter oil on it.

[carringb]

Note that AC MAX uses recirc, so use regular a/c on dusty roads to keep the interior pressure up.

[Stanvan]

Weatherstripping aside, unless there is a cabin air filter built i to the vehicle, dust will not be stopped. Regardless of the setting of the AC/Heat, air from the outside is forced in, to decrease the "chance" of carbon monoxide build up. Even if it's set to recirculate.

[arctictraveller]

[QUOTE=Stanvan;228409]Weatherstripping aside, unless there is a cabin air filter built i to the vehicle, dust will not be stopped. QUOTE]

Air drawn in from the front of the van will be much cleaner than air that gets sucked in from the huge cloud of dust that forms in the rear. It's not a perfect solution, but it sure helps. Just don't tailgate the vehicle in front of you, I always hang back quite a bit.

[86Scotty]

Embrace the dust. Kind of like those camp jackets/hoodies that hang in the (my) van and always smell like campfire smoke. It's a memory of a better moment.

That, or the vent/cabin pressure thing.......

[ShuttlePilot]

I respect the folks that have the desire to keep things clean as new. They have their thing. I however find it satisfying to hear the gritty sound of wiping off the simulated marble veneer counter top. Makes me feel I'm using it as it was intended.

Seriously though, I try to turn off the AC or blower motor when I'm in real dusty conditions as to not pack the dirt in the cores too much. There are times when it's just to darn hot or cold though. Space between vehicles in a caravan is a must. I heard from a friend that drives tour buses that you can always spot a rookie driver because they forget to turn off the HVAC (very loud outside the bus) before driving in a dirt parking lot. I assume it's a similar practice. Dust is inevitable so practice what you think is best for your ship.

- Eric